Carbide agitator for acetylene generators



March 24, 1931. H. G. IRWIN CARBIDE AGITATOR FOR ACETYIJENE GENERATORS File d Aug. 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ParentedMar.24,193i i Q 7 "1 797,254

un 'ran ATENT orrricsi i I nnnisnn'r e; IRWIN, OF AIlII A RILLO r-n nes I i a l' CARBIDE aerraron ron aonr rnnnnennnnarons i I Application fiieaau usife, 1e2 "s r aiiib. 211,034. i

This invention relates to improvements in vi'de an auxiliary to the valvetype of carbide acetylene generators of the carbide to water feeds by'which granular carbidewill'feed in type in which an automatically controlled a thin stream. 7 valve regulates the gravitation of granular With these andotherobjects in view,'my in- 5 carbide from a carbide container into a Water vention consists in the arrangement, combina- '55 container, the rate of carbide feed being de- 'tion and construction of the various parts of termined by the rate of consumptionof acetymy improved device, as described in the speci'} lene generated. The automatic feed control ficatiomclaiined in the cl'ai1ns,]and shown in being the opposed gas pressure type wherethe accompanying drawings, in which:' 1 in a flexible diaphragm is arranged between F igure '1 is a sectional view of the upper two independent gas pressures whereby vaportion of an acetylene generator showing a 'riation in one of the pressures will cause a oarbide' agitator Constructed in; accordance movement of; the diaphragm. The latter With my invention,

being connected so that its movement will Figure '2 is an enlarged'sectionalview of effect the operation of a carbide feed valve. Certain parts of the carbide feed. and con While the opposed gas pressure type of trol such asshown-inFig.1 automatic feedcontrol is believed to have a Flg lle is a'sectionalvie 1throughtheupsafety advantage over the spring pressed 13611301131011 of an aeetylenegenerator show diaphragm control, it has a drawback simiing an alternate form in which my invention lar to the latter in that the feeding of carmay loeaccomplished. i l bide is more or lessintermitt'ent. The carbide Figure is a; sectional view of a typeof grains being rough-and crowded together in, p e lbvalve that maybe used as a gas flow the small end of the conical bottom of the carlnterrupter. I r I I I I I bide hopper where the feed valve is located Flgure5 isa Sectional view through theupoften hang among themselves, thus failing per portion of an'acetylene generator showto respond immediately to the regulating ln'g another formin which my invention-can movements of the feed valve. The variation be Worhed out. a in pressure in the'generator required to move Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view the feedvalve any great extent to start the through the vibrator used in the mechanism 3 flow of carbide and to shut off the flow is ob-' ShOWn in 5. I j r I jectionable in that a constant pressure or'a Figure 7 is an enlarged ijsectional fview near constant pressure in the generator is througha vibratorshowing'modificati'oni'n most desirable, I I a vibrator of'the typefs hownni Fi I I iThe'object of my invention is to provide Figure 8 is an enlar d ge fion i 'l new and useful improvements in the auto: the float us'edin the vibrator shown in Fig. 7. mafia PP S P s Valve feed yp 0f Figure 9 is a sectional view through the y1 -g f i j upper portionof an acetylene generator A further oblect of my 'n Q f showing still'another form in which my in come the usual two to five pounds variation n Vention may -k d, t I workufgipressure automatlc lv d 7, Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view a W ofacetylenegenemtori I throughthe vibrator used in themechanism A further ob ect of my v invent on is to 1 9 I l over'come'the intermittent feeding of car: a I 1'. Y 1 bide in the automatically controlled valve rlgure 1S a n new frougl a 45 r V flash-back tank showinghow a diaphragm 35 i type of carbide feeds. 1 I

A- further object of my invention is to -i may mounted'for Operation. prevent a mass of carbide grains'lodgingin f i 1 4 1 the vinicityof the feed valve and hindering F gu e 2 an enlarged V f h the feeding of carbide. I phragnrsprmg used 1n the mechanlsms I A further Object of my-inventionis to proshown in Figs. 1,3, 5, 6, 7, 9 1;) and l1.-'

Figure 13 shows a removable plate used in the vibrators shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 10.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the letter A to indicate generally the carbide feed control diaphragm ately above the carbide feed outlet and it.

consists of a pressure tank '3,'the diaphragm A, a piston 4, a valve vstem?) and feed valve 6, a removable housing "(and a communicating pipe 8. The piston and diaphragm {form the pressure responsive element of the feed control. phragm ;in this; instance is a hollowgopen ended;cylinder-in-form, being cut the desired length from soft-rubber tube stock having qualities of'toughness and durability. It hasone end secured gas tigh: about the upper end ofthepiston by a suitable band clamp $0., -bestseen in Fig. 2. Six to eight rounds of .small round wire wound on tightly with opposite ends of the wire soldered-to the adjacent outside wire at opposite sides of the Ywindingwill'serve asa band clamp for the diaphragun.v The opposite end of the control diaphragm is stretched outwardly and over thelower beaded edgeof the cup portion 31), of thepressure tankand secured gas tighttothe. outer periphery of the cup by a band clamp similar to 4G. Thevalve stem 5 is made integral with-the piston and it depends ,fromthe underside of the piston head. The carbide feed valve 6 screws onto the lower endof the valve.stemandismade secu'reby fusing solder inthe screw-threads. The .upper endof thehousing 7 isv-secured to the pressure tank by suitableears and bolts not shown. This housing extends down over the feed control to about one inch of .the hopper bottom 10. One end of they spiral piston spring 11, presses against ,the'under side of the piston head and its other end :seats upon the upper sideof the web 12, which latter is removably mounted in the lower 'end of thecontrol housing. One end of the pipe 8 screws into the sideof the pressure tank immediately above the upper end of the cup 3D and it extends outwardly through a packing gland 13, in the wall of the carbide hopper. An angle needle valve 14, is screwed onto the outer end of the pipe 8. The small angle pipe 15, connects the needle valve with the interior of the carbide hopper. Through the pipe8, needle valvele and pipe 15 the pressure'tank 3 may communicate with the interior of the carbide hopper. The pipe 9 is formed integral with the pressure tank and extends inward of the-pressure tank to the center ofithe head of the cup 31) at which place 7 it is angled to, extend through. thehead of the The control die cup and is fused to the inner surface thereof. The outer portion of the pipe 9 extends through the packing gland 13C, in the wall of the carbide hopper and terminates in an outside threaded end onto which a diaphragm vibrator is screwed. The pipes 8 and 9extend in line and'the packinggland 13C in the side of the carbide hopper is diametrically opposite to the gland 13. The pressure tank is removable from the carbide hopperby removing the pipe '8 and moving the tank laterally toward the gland 13 to withdraw the pipe 9 'from'the gland 13C.

Removable braces not shown attach to the upper end of the pressure tank holding the sameagainst' movement when in place. The vibrator consists mainly of a housing composed oftwo separable sections '16 and 16H,

' a diaphragm fB anda saucer shaped spring J. The vibratordiaphragm is a flat disc preferably'cut from soft sheet rubber stock having qualities of toughness and durability or molded inflat disc form of suitable rubber gum stock. The backsection 16 of the vibrator housing is a cupped disc in form, its edge terminating in a flat circumferential flange provided with spacedholes to receive clamping bolts. The front section 16H isv a flat disc provided with'bolt holes in a margin adjacentits outer edge thatregister with the bolt. holes in the flange of .the section -16. The outer marginal edge of thediaphragm extend between the housing flanges and bolts extending through the flange holes and diaphragm clamp the two sections; of the vibratorhousing upon the diaphragm and together, the diaphragm forming a flexible partition between the housing sections. The vibrator spring J may be-cut from thin sheet stock of nonrusting spring metal, with equally spaced radial sits in its outer porangle pipe 17, connects the vibrator-with the gasoutlet pipe 18, of the generator. The convex side:of the vibrator diaphragm B communicates with the control diaphragm A and piston 4 through pipe 9 and the concave sideflof vibrator diaphragm communicates withthe. gas outlet pipe 18 through pipe 17, The pressuretank communicates with the feed control piston 1 and a diaphragm through a small aperture 19, in the wall ofthepipe 9 adjacent the inner angled end thereof as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 2. A hand feed com rising a thin round rod poker 28, extending into the car-e opened so'gas as it is generated may flow intothe'pressure tank and be of the same pressure asugas 1n the generator. Up to -fifteen.p'ounds pressure per square'inchin an acetylene generator is usually suiiicient for ordinary use. And when the desired pressure is reached through the use of the hand feed the needle valve 14 may be closed and the operation of the hand feed discontinned. The closing of the needle valve confines the gas in the pressure tank which gas is used to oppose gas in the generator togive motion to the control diaphragm. Thus it will be seen that by drawing gas fromthe generator the pressure in the generator will be lessened and pressure due to gas confined in the pressure tank will push the piston 4 downwardly against the pressure of the spring 11 which will open the carbide feed valve a distance sufficient tofeed carbide.

And presently, as common with the valve type of carbide feeds, the flow of carbide exceeds the proper amount to. generate acetylene in true proportionto the rate at which acetylene'is being drawn off. The pressure in the generator begins to rise rapidly, pushing the piston upwardly which closes the feed valve and thus cutting off the flow of carbide. 'As consumption of gas continues the pressure in the generator goes down until the feed valve is again opened a distance sufficient to feed more carbide and presently the same objectionable rise in pressure occurs. Such is common with the ordinary valve type of carbide feeds. It seems thatfeeding would not occur with the usual valve feed. Thepressure in the generator would remain near constant after the feeding position of'the feed valve was reached. But

grains of peasize carbide as it is found on lene generator without being keptin motion or moved at close intervals in the vicinity of the-feed valve. l

The invention here is a vibrant gas pressure on the side of thecarbidefeed control diaphragm communicating with. the pressure tank... This givesthe control diaphragm in addition to" its usual feedcontrolling movements a .revibrating shortmotion which'is transmittedjto the carbide in the vicinity of the feed outlet through the medium of the valve stem and feed valve. Of course something movable other than the feed valve may be placed in contact with carbide in the vicinity of the feed outlet and used to get motion to carbide directly from the vibrator, but the feed valve is already there and might as well be used for that: purpose also when connection between the-vibratordiaphragm and feed control diaphragm can be 'made without wear as in the present device.

In Fig. l, gasfrom the pressure tank presses on the convex side of the vibrator diaphragm the same as on the feed control piston and diaphragmn Whenpressure in the generator is less than pressure in the pres-- sure tank the vibrator diaphragm yields also,

but not somuch as the feed control piston and diaphragm yields;iThe spring J being stronger than the spring 11, the vibrator dia phragm moves only half its limit when the control piston has reached its downward limitf The gas outlet pipe 18 of the genera-- torhas a large ball check-valve 20, immediately outside the wall of'the 'generaton This valve is used in the capacity of an automatic gas flow interrupter. When gas is drawn from the generator through the outlet pipe 18 this interrupter valve 20 generates small pressure waves in the gas flow,;which waves are used to operate the vlbrator. These vibrator diaphragm through the pipe '17. Such means for operating a diaphragm vibrator is described in my pending application Serial No. 4,935. The'operation of the vibrator diaphragm as result of pressure Waves in the gas outlet setup similar pressure waves on the pressure tank side of the feed control piston and diaphragm' through gash under pressure in pipe 9. Thus it will be seen that the feed control piston will vibrate. in harmony with the vibrator diaphragm, giving the feed-valve short up and down movements'which agitate carbide inthe vicinity pressure waves reachthe concave side of the r thereof. It will be understood that the pres:

sure waves inthe gas outlet are constant while gas is being drawn from the generator and consequently the operation of the vibrator, the feed controland the agitating motion of the feed valve is constant while gas is beingdrawn from the generator. The jcarbide feed regulating movement of the feed valve occursionly when there is variation in r pressurein thegenerator. In-other words the feed'control including the feed-valve 'per- 1 form their feed regulating. movements in a state of vibration. The function of the feed control and feed valveis nowdual, in the operation of agitating carbide andregulating the carbide flow. Granular carbide flows so regular in agitation that at a constant rate of consumption of gas the feed valve has but slight variation in position from 113s seat, unless consumption of gas is either increased, decreased or discontinued. .VVhen consumption of gas is increased the pressure in the generator is lowered slightly, to which the feed control immediately responds by lowering the feed valve accordingly increasing the rate of carbide feed. WVhen consumption of'gas is discontinued the pressure of gas in the generator rises slightly, due to the generation of gas from. the last of the carbide grains to fall into the water chamber. The rise in pressure causes the feed control to move the feed valve upwardly toward its able rubber gum stock.

seat. But not necessarily close the feed valve for the interrupter ceases operation and there is no agitation of carbide when consumption of gas is discontinued. Without agitation the feed valve may stand open a certain distance'without feeding carbide. Also, though the operation'of the-interrupter accelerates with increase in consumption and likewise the agitation of carbide is increased, good.

results may be had by agitating carbide at a constant rate irrespective of the-rate of consumption of gas.

In Fig.3, the automatic feed control is mounted outward of the carbide hopper and it consists for the most'part of a pressure tank 3, the control diaphragm A,a valve stem 5, a carbide feed valve 6 and a removable housing 7E. The feed control diaphragm in this instance is a flat disc preferably cut from soft sheet rubber stock having qualities of toughness and durability or molded and cured in flat disc form of suit- The outer margin of the control diaphragm is clamped between the lower outwardly extending flange of the housing 7 E and the top of the carbide hopper. The saucer shaped radial leaf spring 11K between the control diaphragm.

and'hopper head has its outcurved side press ing on the under side of the control diaphragm giving the lattera concave-convex shape. The upper end of the valve stem 5' provided with screwthreads and fittedwith nuts clamp onto the center of the control diaphragm, also clamping the diaphragm and spring together. The partition 7 C, in the housing7E limits'upward movement of the control diaphragm and the top of the carbide hopper limits downward movement of the control diaphragm. .At the center of the partition is a large opening which permits free play of gas from one side to the other of the housing. The pressure tzinkcommunicates with the interior of the housing 7E through the pipe 22 and small aperture 19. The pressure tank may communicate with the interior of the carbide hopper through the short length of pipe and needle valve-14:.

The vibrator diaphragm B is mounted immediately above the partition 7G in the upper end of the housing 7E. The marginal'edge of the vibrator diaphragm being clamped between the outwardly extending flange at the. upper end of the diaphragm housing and the flat disc closure 16H. The vibrator spring J is disposed between the vibrator diaphragm and closure with the outcurved side of the spring toward the diaphragm. Thus the convex side of the vibrator diaphragm is toward the control diaphragm and exposed to pressure from the pressure tank. The concave side of the vibrator diaphragm communicates with the gas outlet pipe 18 through the pipe 17.

A hand teed similar to that shown in Figs. 5 and 9 may be provided to open the carbide feed valve 6 in Fig. 1 to feed carbide into the water chamber in raising the initial working pressure. The needle valve 14% being left open so gas may fill the pressure tank and space 23 between the control and vibrator diaphragms. When the desired pressure is reached through the use of the hand feed it may be discontinued and the needle valve 14 closed. The closing of the needle valve confines gas in the pressure tank and space 23.

Then by drawing gas from the generator through the outlet pipe as inuse, gas pressure in thegenerator and pressure on the underside of the control diaphragm will be lessened. Gas pressure in the pressure tank and space 23 will'push the control diaphragm downwardly depressing the spring 11K and through the medium of the valve'stem 5 will open the carbide feed valve 6 which will admit carbide into the water chamber, thus generating -more acetylene. Gas in space 23 and from the pressure tank presses on the convex side of the vibrator diaphragm the same as on the control diaphragm. But the vibrator diaphragm spring should be stronger than the control diaphragm spring so the vibrator diaphragm will not reach its depressed limit before the control diaphragm reaches its depressed limit. 'Thus the vibrator diaphragm will have room to vibrateiup to and beyond the depressed limit of the .control diaphragm. In drawing gas from the generator through the gas outlet pipe the flow interrupter 20, same as in Figs. 1 and 4, generates small pressure waves in-the gas flow, which waves reach the concave side of the vibrator diaphragm through the pipe 17, putting thevibrator diaphragm in vibration. Thus gas in space 23 is made to vibrate in pressure, causing the control diaphragm to vibrate in a manner much the same as the vibrator diaphragm. Through the valve stem and feed valve the vibrant energy given the control diaphragm reaches carbide in the vicinity of the feed outlet causing carbide grains to feed uniformly at a reduced rate. The feed valve opens a certain distance, de-

pending on the rate gas is drawn oil, and stands in' vibration, The carbide grains gravitating gradually in a thin stream past the feed valve. 1 Y

The pressure tank 3, in Fig. 3 may be eliminated if desired andthe housing 7E extended upward from the partition 7 C so "as'to provide aspace for gas of about such volume as thepressure tank would hold. WVhile a large volume of gas to press o'nthe convex sideof thecontrol diaphragm is not necessary, the volume of gas should be such that the dis placement of the diaphragm will not lower' thedepres'sing pressure more'than one pound per square inch. The needle valve lmay be 'connected'as shown in Fig. 5. Without the pressure'tank; and with the extended housing 7E the operation of the vibrator and control would be very near the same. The loss'of vibrantenergy in the large volume of gas between the two diaphragms being small.

In Fig. 5 the feed control diaphragm is mounted upon the carbide hopper, the spring 11K being the same as that in Fig. 3 and mounted in a similar manner, From the partition 7 D upward of the control housing comprises a pressure tank 3. The partition 7 D instead of having a large opening as in partition 76, Fig; 3; is closed against communication between the pressure tank and control'save'a small aperture 19 in thewall of pipe 9at the phragm B being clamped between outwardly extending flanges of the vibrator'tank 25 and thecup shaped housing 16 of the vibrator as will be seen in Fig. 6. The concave I side of the vibrator diaphragm and spring J is toward the vibrator'tank. The outer edge of the spring leaves work upon the 'face .ofthe removable fiat disc 16X, which is'supported in the upper end of the vibrator tank by'a narrow annular shoulder 26. The upper extremity of the 'rod 27 is provided with a wide fiat head and it clamps onto the center of the vibrator diaphragm by means of arnut and jscrewthreads. This rod 27 extends downwardinto the vibrator tank near the bottom thereof. To the lower end of this rod clamped by washers, nutsand screw threads is a thick flat disc 28 which will be called a trembler; The diameter of the trembler a should be slightly smaller than the lnner diameter of the tank so as to permit some side motionand it may consist of wood, cork or other suitable. light material treated wlth a drying oil under pressure to make it imperviv ous to water. The Vibrator tank is connected in the gas outlet18 first in line from the generator- It is filled with a liquid such as water to a level with the fill plug 25G. And owing to the position of the tank on thegenerator and to prevent the liquid running'out of the tank into the generator the outlet 'pipe is angledupwardimmediately outside the generator to a point some distance above the liqbrator tank may lead to the'usual flash-back tank not shown. The convex side of the vibrator diaphragm communicates With the pressure tank side ofthe control diaphragm through the pipe9. Extending at an angle through the wall of the carbide hopper to ward the carbide feed valve 6 in a tube provided with a suitable packinggland is a small round iodpoker 29." The lower endof the poker abuts the feed valve pushing the latter open when pressed in by the hand-hold 29C. Thus carbide in the hopper may be fed by hand into the a water chamber to generate acetylene for the initial working pressure in the generator.- The poker engages the-feed valve at an angle pushing the latter downwardly to the side'and' not openenough to permit a continual flow oif-carbide into the water chamber. As a safety feature it is thus necessary to work the poker back and forth a number of times to get'enough carbide into the water chamber to raise the desired pressure. lVhe'n the workingpressure is reached the poker may be pulled outwardly a short distance so the lower end will be out of the wayof carbide about the feed valve. In operating the "hand feed, the needle 'valve 14; should always be-in open position so gas from the generator may .fill the pressure tank. However, the needle valve 14 should be closed after the working pressure is reached so as to confine gas in the pressure tank at the proper pressure. H Now upon drawing gas from the generator the pressurein the generator will be lessened. Consequently the pressure on the under side of the control diaphragm will be lessened and gas confined in the pressure tank willpush' the control diaphragm 'down wardly opening the feed valve to feed more carbide'into the water chamber. In'drawing gas from the generator' through the gas out-'- let, gas fiowsinto the I vibrator tank atthe bottom and upw'ard'around the trembler through theliquid in the tank and out at'18E. Gas bubbling upward around'thetrembler through'the liquid in the tank gives a jerky motion to the trembler and through its connection with the vibrator diaphragmcauses the diaphragm tovibrate. The operation of the vibrator fluctuates gas pressure on the pressuretank sideof thecontrol diaphragm through the pipef9, causing the control-diaphragm to vibrate inamanner similar to the vibratorfdiaphragm. Through the valve stem'and feedfvalve the vibrant energy of thecontrol diaphragm reachescarbide. in the s vicinity of the feedvalve.

lOC'

top. of the liquid in the tank instead of a trembler which operates submerged as in Fig. 6. The float may be made of thin sheet metal as will be seen in Fig. 8, or it may be made of cork or other suitable buoyant material. Three grooved rollers T, Y and Z, carried by brackets on the float movably engage the ,rod 27. The roller Z mounted on a pivoted bracket having a tension spring Nc engages the opposite side of the rod from the rollers. T and Y. The tension spring pulling upon theroller brackets press the. rollers against the rod wherebythe float may move with certain resistance up and down on the rod so as'to keep with the liquid level in the tank in case the level is lowered through-evaporation or otherwise andyethave sufiicient grip on the vibrator rodto work the vibrator diaphragm when the liquid in the tank is in a state or agitation. It will be seen that gas flowing upward through .the liquid in the tank will cause the float to work in short up and down movements and through its'connection with the vibrator diaphragm will work thediaphragm in much the same manner.

Thefeed control diaphragm in Fig. 9 is substantially the same as that in Figs. 3 and 5 and mounted in much the same manner.

The pressure tank 3 in this instance is built onto the vibrator housing 16 and it communicates with the. control diaphragm through the aperture 19 and pipe 9. The vibrator diaphragm communicates with the control dia-,

- the vibrator diaphragm and spring J on the concave side and at the centerthereof is a cage 31, having therein aball 32, upon a seat 33, in the base of the cage, as will be seen in Fig. 10. A gas bellM, depends from the base of the cage and its sides extend down into the vibrator tank to a short distance of the bottom of the tank. The gas outlet 18E of the vibrator tank extends through the'bottom of the tank and upward into the open end of the gas bell to a point near and directly under the ball valve '32. A round rod 35 passingv through a packing gland 36 in the outside angled portion of the pipe 18E extends upward through the center-of the inner portionv of the pipe and screws through the closed upper end of thepipe. The screw threads on the upper end of the rod permit endwise adjustment of the rod whereby the upper end:may be moved toward andaway from the ball valve 32. Openings 37, in the wall of the inner portion of -the pipe 1813 im-- mediately under the closed end thereof admit gasfrom the bell into the pipe. The vibrator tank may be filled with water or other suitable liquid to a level with the fill plug 256. Theouter angled end of the gas outlet of the tank may be connected withthe usual flash-back tank not shown. It might be well to explain that on the usual flash-back tank will be found the gas cut-off valve and other service connections through which gas from the generator may be drawn for use- The pressure tank 3 may be filled with gasfrom the carbide hopper through the needle valve l4, pipe 9 and aperture 19. The initial-workmg pressure in the generator shown in Fig;

9 maybe raised with the hand'feed the same as in- Fig. 5. Before raising the working justed for operation while drawing gas from the generator byscrewing the rod 35 downwardly until repeated taps on the rod occurs.

Screwing the rod'35 downwardly moves the upper end of the rod away from the ball allowing the valve to close. The valve being closed and the lower open end of the bell sealed in the liquid-in the tank, gas presses on the upper end of bell moving the bell downwardly bringing the ball in contact with the upper end of the adjusting rod which opens the valve again, allowinggas to flow into the bell equalizing pressure on both sides thereof. Through connection with the vibrator spring and diaphragm the downward movement of the bell depresses the diaphragm and spring and upon unseating the ball the vibrator spring lifts the bell permitting the ball to seat again, whereupon gas on the outer side of the bell immediately presses the bell down and again unseating the ball. These movements are repeated continually in rapid succession giving motion to the vibrator diaphragm while gas is being drawn from the generator. Through gas in the pipe 9 the control diaphragm is induced to operate in amanner similar to the vibrator diaphragm. The control diaphragm may function to open and close the carbide feed valve in a state of vibration. But, in vibration the usual intermittent movements of the control diaphragm and feed valve which feed carbide intermittently are absent, due to the re ularity in which carbide grains gravitate in 'a state of agitation. I

The gas bell'34 in Fig. 10 will function to operate the vibrator diaphragm without the valve 32 and 33 and rod 35, by using a heavier vibrator spring and lowering the liquid level in the vibrator tank to a point not so high above the open'end'of the bell. The upper end of the bell being without the valve and closed, gas, will flow under the lower edge of the bell and upward through the liquid in the lower end of the bell to reach the upper end of the outlet 18E. Gas in passing upward through the liquid in the lower end of the bell gives the bell a jerky movement which. operates the vibrator diaphragm.

The vibrator may be mounted submerged in the liquid in the usual flash-back tank as shown in Fig- 11. In this instance the vibrator is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 in struc' ture. bottom thereof facing the gas inlet to the tank. I The concave side of the diaphragm being exposed to gas and liquid in thetank through a large opening in. the section 16H of thevibrator housing. The convex side I of the vibrator diaphragm may communicate with the feed control diaphragm through the pipe 9. Gas flowing upward'around the Vibrator through the liquid in the tank gives motion to the Vibrator diaphragm by agitating the liquid in the tank.

fWhileI have shown and described several devices constructed in accordance with my invention, it will be manifest to persons skilled in the art that many changes may be maderin minor details of structure in that this invention is not to be limited to the details describedand shown. I

What I claim is 1. In a carbide agitator for an acetylene generator, the pressure responsiveelement of a carbide feed control comprising substantially a pressure responsive diaphragm and apressure tank with communication between said tank and diaphragm restricted to' a narrow passageway and means for rapidly fluctuating the pressureon the pressure tank side of said diaphragm 1n addition to the usual 7 pressure change in the generator to whlch said diaphragm is responsive to control the rate of carbide feed.

2. In a carbide agitator for an acetylene generator, a pressure responsive carbide feed control vdiaphagm having one side thereof eX- posed to gas pressure in the generator and connected with a carbide feed valve and the opposite side of the diaphragm exposed to gas pressure of a pressure tank, a second dia phragm having one side thereof communicating with the pressure tank and the pressure tank side of the first named diaphragm,

and means for conducting pressure fluctuagenerator, a. pressure responsive carbide feed control diaphagm disposed between gas pres- Its position in the tank is near the pressure tank side ofsaid control diaphragm and one side of the diaphragm of said vi brator.

4. In a carbide agitator for an'acetylene generator, a pressure responsive carbide feed control diaphragm connected on one side with a carbide feed valve and disposed between two independent gas pressures, a diaphragm vibrator, a gas pressure connection between one side of the diaphragm of said vibrator and the side of said control diaphragm opposite to the side connectedlwith said feed valve.

5. In acombined carbide agitator and automatic carbide feed control for an acetylene generator, a gas pressure tank with means for introducing gas into saidtank and means for confining gas in saidtank, a carbide feed control diaphragm having one side thereof eXposedto gas pressure from thegas generatingchamber of 'the'generator and connected with a carbide feed valve and the opposite side exposed to the pressure'of gas confined in said pressure tank, a second diaphragm having one side thereof exposed to the pressure of gas confined in said pressure tank, and means for vibrating said second diaphragm while gas is being drawn fromthe generator when the gas pressure inthe generator is below the pressure of gas confined in said pressure tank.

6. In combination, an acetylene generator having an automatic. carbide feed control including an elastic fluid pressure tank and means responsive to'change of gas pressure in thegenerator, a container adapted to receive a liquid, a vibrator comprisinga float disposed in said container and connected with a diaphragm having one side thereof exposed to the pressure of fluid in said pressuretank, and means for conducting a flow'ofgas from said generator through liquid in said container to vibrate said float. A

7 In combination, an acetylene generator having an automatic carbide feed control ineluding an elastic fluid pressure .tank and flow, and means responsive to change of pressure in the gas flowfor fluctuating the pressure of the fluid on the pressure tank side of I the first named pressure responsive-means.

HERBERT G2, IRWIN. 

